Wall construction



1943- P. E. KNUDSEN'ETAL 2,310,443.

WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 31, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 5/ 3 9 .53 J 33 I I 1 1 J I. I

i //v VEN Toes A? PEKG YE Kzvuasg/V JoH/v H. 055M ONE 1943- P. E. KNUDSEN ETAL 2,310,443

WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed on. 31. 1940 4' Sheets-Sheet 2 1 l l i day/v f2 DEJMO/VE 1943- P. E. KNUDSEN EI'AL 2,310,443

WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 31, 1940 4 Shee'tS-Sheet 3 HTTOE/VEK Patented Feb. 9, 1943 2,310,448 WALL CONSTRUCTION Percy E.

mone, Springdaie, Pa-, Corning Corporation,

sylvania Knudsen, Pittsburgh,

asaignors to Pittsburgh a corporation of Pennand John A. Des- Application October 31, 1940, Serial No. 863,610 2 Claims. (01. 72 -106) The present invention relates to panel constructions for an opening in a building wall and it has particular relation to the provision of a filler between a margin of such opening and a margin of a panel of glass blocks disposed in the opening.

One object of the invention is to provide a filler of the foregoing type which is attractive in appearance, simple and inexpensive to manufacture, which will permit movements, such as expansion and contraction or distortion between the margins of the panel and the margins of the opening without imposing strain upon the blocks constituting the panel and will, at the same time, support the panel against thrusts exerted against the face thereof. i

This and other objects of the invention will be apparent from consideration of the following specification and the appended claims.

It has heretofore been proposed to construct panels of hollow blocks of glass as fillers for openings in a building wall. Such blocks are attractive in appearance, function as lighttransmitting media, and because of their hollow construction are relatively highly resistant to the transmission of heat. The blocks, because of their hollow construction, are not designed to act as load-carrying elements for the wall above. Therefore, if the panel is relatively wide, 1. e. constitutes within itself a main part or a large portion of a building wall, a lintel structure of suitable strength is required in order to support walls or floors or roof superposed thereupon. The lintels inherently tend to sag and they as well as the panels are subject to thermal expansion and contraction as well as movements due to settling or distortion of the building in which they are disposed. For these reasons, as well as for purposes of facilitating the assembly of the panels, it is desirable to leave a substantial space between the upper edge of the panel and the lintel thereabove.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a filling between the upper edge of a panel, of glass blocks and the lower face of a lintel structure, which filling includes, among other features, an anchor element designed to resist thrust against the face of the wall, and also being vertically slidable in suitable guides to permit relative vertical movement of the upper edge of the panel.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of a wall embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are fragmentary sectional views taken respectively upon the lines 11-11, III-III and IV-IV of Figure 1;

Figure 5, 6, '7 and 8 are fragmentary sectional views showing additional forms of the invention;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially upon the line IX-IX of Figure 8.

In a wall constructed as shown in the drawings a panel ill of conventional hollow glass building blocks is assembled by methods well understood in the art in an opening in a building wall II. The blocks indicated at l2, (see Fig. 2) preferably include shoulder portions i3 providing a groove for the reception of mortar or other filling between contiguous blocks.

A sill structure for the panel indicated at it is shown in Figure 4, and includes a base portion It, which may be a portion of the masonry of the wall. Shearlock bar I1 is disposed thereupon and may be held in place by suitable lag screws or bolts la. The bar or sill shall be coated with a layer of non-adhesive material l9, such as asphalt, emulsion covered with impregnated roofing paper or building paper, which layer in turn is covered by a layer 2| of mortar, which fills the space between the shoulders IQ of the contiguous building blocks ii. A caulking 22 of plastic and relatively moistureproof material disposed between the lower edge of the outer shoulder and the upper face of the sill portion l6 provides a seal to prevent premeation of the mortar by moisture.

A jamb structure for the panel is shown in Figure 3 and includes vertical portions 23 of the margin of the wall contiguous to the open panel. A shoulder 26 formed in the portion 23 provides an abutment back of the vertical edges of the blocks, in order more securely to anchor the edges of the panel in place. The space between the jamb portions of the wall and the contiguous edges of the block preferably is provided with a resilient packing 21 which may comprise a layer of cork, felt or the like, which will permit relative expansion and contraction of the block panel without imposing a strain upon the blocks themselves. This packing of resilient material is sealed from the external atmosphere by means of a resilient and waterproof caulking 28 of conventional caulking compound. The sill and lamb structures above described may be employed in combination with any of the flller structures to be described.

A lintel construction embodying a filler between the upper edge of the panel and the edge of the opening in the wall is shown in Figure 2 and includes an angle bar "having flanges 3I and 32, which engage and support the masonry 33 above the panel.

Preferably layer 34 of mortar or cement is disposed between the lower face of the masonry and the upper face of the flange 3I of the angle. To the branch 32 of the angle is secured a vertical member 33 which may constitute one leg or branch of a second angle member 31, having a horizontal leg or branch 33. The element 33 preferably extends slightly below the upper edge of the glass block panel and may be provided with a facing 33,

A small angle element 4I, secured to the angle 31 by means 'of bolts or rivets 42, is provided with a vertical flange or leg 43, which is disposed in slightly spaced relation with respect to the inner face of the member 32. to provide a channel or guldeway. and thus provides an anchorage for maintaining the upper edge of the panel against thrusts exerted against the face thereof. A thin layer 44 of mortar or cement is disposed in the channel upon the upper edge of the panel In provided by the peripheral grooves in the upper course of blocks and is covered by a plate 43 having a downwardly-projecting flange 41 disposed between leg 43 of angle element 4| and bar 33.

Anchor straps 50 are secured by appropriate means to bars 43 and are embedded in the mortar between the blocks to prevent displacement of the panel. These anchors are also duplicated in the structures shown in 3, 3, 1 and 3 and are there designated by a like numeral,

Upon the top of the plate is disposed a packing 43 of mineral wool, flbered glass, felt or other material designed to fill the space between the edge of the panel, the upper face of the bar 2|. This packing is faced by an extensible pleated sheet 43, of roofing paper or similar material having a foil-like covering of copper or other resilient material. The upper edge of this extensible sheet element may be secured by embedding a flap II thereof in the layer 34 of cement. The lower margin preferably is bent upwardly as indicated at 32 and is then bent over as indicated at 33 to engage a vertical flange 54 upon the plate 43. The pressure of the mineral wool upon the portion 63 prevents its displacement from the flange.

A further form of the invention as shown in Figure 5 involves a panel 30 of glass blocks essentially corresponding to the panel III, which panel is disposed in an opening in a building wall 3I. Contiguous to the wall may be disposed a beam .3Ia and mortar 6Ib may flll the joint. An extensible element for filling the space between the edge of the panel and corresponding edge, e. g. the jamb or the lintel portions of the opening, and for anchoring the edge of the panel against thrusts, may include a channel-like member 32 disposed in the space between wall 3| and beam 6i a or embedded or otherwise secured in the contiguous portion of the opening in the building, and being provided with a spring clip element 63 disposed therein. The latter is of inverted channel-like section and preferably includes side portions 34, which are inwardly bowed in order resiliently to press against a metallic flange 66, which is laterally directed with respect to the edge of the panel.

second leg 34 of formed about the margin of a layer of felt line parallel to the Flange 33 is integral with a bar-like plate 33 resting upon a layer ll of cement disposed between the shoulders of the blocks constituting the panel. A layer 13 of loosely packed oakum or other relatively yieidable material is packed between the plate and the contiguous surface 13 of the opening in the building wall and admits of expansion and contraction of the panel without imposing strains thereupon. Shoulder 14 is also the opening and a of caulking material is disposed between the shoulder and the adjacent marginal portion of. the face of the panel 33. Further a compressible and expansible packing 11 is provided between the opposite blocks constituting the panel and the face 13 of the opening, in order completely to seal the-packing 1 It will be apparent that any relative movement between the marginal portions of the panel 33 and the edges of the wall 3| causes the flange 33 to slide between the walls of the clip 33 without in any way stressing the panel 33. At the same time, the channel-like clip 33 provides an eiiective seal about the flange.

The form of the invention shown in Figure 6 is particularly designed to provide an extensible seal and anchorage between the vertical or jamb margins of a panel and contiguous portions of a building well. However, it will be apparent that it is also adapted for forming a seal between the upper edge of the panel and the adjacent lintel portion of the opening in which the panel is disposed. This construction includes a channel 33 of U section, which is embedded in the contiguous portions of a building and which slidably receives a flange 3i upon a plate 3! bearing upon a layer 33 of cement or the like upon the margins of the panel.

A mullion structure for use between a pair of panels embodying the invention illustrated in this figure or other figures is, also, shown and includes a bar 33 similar to the bar 33 and resting against a packing 31 of cement or the like.

-' Bar 33 has a laterally directed flange 33 disposed in the space between one leg 33 of an angle bar 3| and the head portion 32 of a 1' iron 33. The angle "may be secured by bolts or rivets 33 to the web portion 33 of the T iron. which may be embedded in concrete column 31. The face of the head portion 33 is covered with a resilient sheet material 33 which may comprise having a-thin flexible covering of copper, aluminum or other suitable relatively flexible metal. The marginal portions of the sheet are crimped as indicated at 33, along a mullion in order to give a certain degree of extensibility thereto. The flap I 3| of the marginal portion is doubled over the inner face of the bar 33 and. is embedded in the outer portion of the cement layer 31. It will be apparent that the joint between the mullion and the panel I33 upon the opposite side of the mullion corresponds to that described.

A modification suitable for use between the Jamb or the head of a panel and adjacent portions of the building is shown in Figure 'I. This construction includes a bar I33 of aluminum. bronze or the like resting upon a layer I33 of cement upon the edge of a glass block panel I 01. The bar is provided with a downwardly bent shoulder or lip I33, which is designed to provide a drip element and which is integral with an upwardly-extending flange I33. The

shoulders of the direction of extension of the latter is slidably disposed between vertical legs III and N2 of angle irons H3 and III. Horizontal legs H6 and II! of the angle irons are superposed upon each other and are held together by bolts IIB, which may extend into adjacent portion Ill! of the building.

In the form of the invention disclosed in Fi ure 8, an angle beam I25 constituting a lintel in an opening in a building wall is supported in any convenient manner, for example by means of columns or pillars (not shown) at its ends and/or by bolts I28 extending through vertical flange I21 of the iron into a beam or like support. The horizontal flange I28 the beam supports the wall I23 of any convenient material. Below the flange I28 is disposed panel I3I of glass blocks, which may have a layer I32 of mortar or the like disposed thereupon. Upon the latter is disposed horizontal flange I33 of an angle element I34 having a vertical flange I36. The vertical flange is slotted as indicated at I31 to receive bolts I33 extending through flange I2'I. Washers I39 upon the bolts engage opposite sides of flange I36 and act as guides to permit slight relatively vertical movement between beam I25 and the flange I33. Between the washers I39 is disposed a washer I40 of slightly greater thickness than flange I36. It is of such diameter as to flt within slot or notch I31, and assures that washers I38 will not be drawn so close together as to clamp or bind the flange.

A yleld'able flller layer I of cork or the like seals the space between the flanges, but does not substantially oppose the movement. The edges or the cork and of the layer I32 are sealed by packing I42 oi yieldable but waterproof caulking material.

Flashing I43 oi. thin flexiblemetal covers the faces of flanges I21 and I28 \and a lip portion I is bent down over the edge of the latter flange to provide protection-and also to give a pleasing flnish. Flanges 31, II, II, 33, I and I33 all lie aashowninthedrawingsinaplanecontiguous to or adjacent to a panel. What we claim is:

face of the corresponding 1. A building construction comprising a wall having an opening formed therein, .the portion of the wall above and contiguous to the opening constituting a lintel for the opening, a panel comprising glass blocks with peripheral grooves for receiving mortar laid in edge to edge relation with respect to each other in the opening, and the grooves in .the upper course of blocks providing a channel along the upper edge of the panel, the upper edge of the panel being spaced from the lintel, an angle bar cemented to the top edge of the panel by mortar embedded in said channel, said bar being provided with an upwardly turned flange contiguous to the plane of one face of the panel and guide means secured to said lintel'and slidably engaging the face of the flange to maintain the panel from displacement by forces exerted vertically thereto, but permitting relative movement of the panel in its own plane without substantial strain.

2. A building construction comprising a wall including a plurality of transversely spaced panelscomposed of glass blocks laid in edge to edge relation, a mullion disposed between two of the panels and comprising a vertically disposed metallic bar having oppositely disposed transverse flanges along one edge, angle bars secured to the first-mentioned bar and having flanges parallel to but spaced slightly from'the flrstmentioned flanges, to provide guide slots, angle bars secured upon the adjacent edges 0! the panels and having flanges disposed slidably in the guide slots, whereby to constrain thhe panels from movement in a direction perpendicular to the plane thereof, but permitting relative movement or the panels in their own plane with respect to the mullion, a flexible cover sheet oi! metal having the marginal portions thereof disposed between the edges of the panels and the second-mentlonedangle bars and being formed with flexures parallel to the bar, admitting of relative movement between the panels and the mulllons without imposition of substantial strain upon the panels.

JOHN A. DIBMONE.

PERCY E. mlUDBIN. 

